Freeman impresses in Jackson's rambling Hobbit

By Amanda Gutierrez     1/9/13 6:00pm

"Why the halfling?" In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the long-awaited prequel to the Lord of the Rings saga, Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen, Lord of the Rings) responds to the elf-queen's question with ageless wisdom: "I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps because I am afraid, and he gives me courage." 

 Director Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) has been building LOTR fans' anticipation for nine years. He did not fail to impress with his selection of the perfect Bilbo Baggins. Martin Freeman (Sherlock) plays Bilbo, a hobbit who has never been out of the Shire and is not particularly fond of adventures. When his old friend Gandalf disturbs the peace by bringing 13 boisterous and blundering dwarves to his hobbit hole, Bilbo is forced to embark on an unforgettable journey to find the lost treasure of the dwarves: a journey with no guarantee of his return. In The Hobbit, the audience learns exactly how Bilbo, an ordinary hobbit of the Shire, came to possess the One Ring of power and shape the fate of the entirety of Middle Earth in ways unknown to him. 

Jackson brings back the extraordinary effects, costumes, musical score and some of the beloved characters from the LOTR trilogy, including Gandalf, Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), Elrond (Hugo Weaving), Saruman (Christopher Lee) and Gollum (Andy Serkis). The 13 dwarves of Erebor are introduced, including the legendary Thorin Oakenshield, complete with trust issues, hostility and timeless vengeance. Unfortunately, Thorin is not a very likeable character, and it is difficult to become attached to the other dwarves throughout the film. However, those who read the book will not find this surprising, since J.R.R. Tolkien did not give many of the dwarves much depth, either. Part of the reason the LOTR saga was so enjoyable was because of the connection formed by knowing each of the main characters' love stories, and past victories and defeats. This is not the case for the dwarves in the The Hobbit, either film or book. Do not expect to fall in love with the dwarves' characters, but expect to be entertained by an exemplary Bilbo and a fascinating Gandalf. 

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The exhaustive backstory, which incorporates details from the book and some invented for the film, sets the movie off to a sluggish start. While the dwarves' song of lore is impressive, it takes Bilbo about 45 minutes on film to leave the Shire and set out on his adventure. In this sense, the film is faithful to the structure of the book, in that it took Bilbo almost 100 pages to leave his hobbit hole. 

Nevertheless, a long setup is paid off with the last two hours of the film, which include continuous swashbuckling action. Bilbo, Gandalf and the dwarves overcome giants, wargs, goblins and even Gollum. The film can be viewed normally, in 3-D, or in 48 frames per second, a new filming technique that Jackson has brought to the cinema. Yet no matter how this film is viewed, the audience will not be disappointed by the lifelike mythical creatures and outstanding special effects that the LOTR trilogy was known for.

The film also incorporates parts of Tolkien's other books, such as The Silmarillion, by depicting the White Council and the Necromancer. LOTR fans will enjoy the film's added elements and characters despite their absences in the book, will love the faithful depiction of Tolkien's vision for his adored characters.

The Hobbit probably will not turn you into a LOTR fan if you are not one already. However, if you are already an avid Tolkien enthusiast and admirer of his works, you will thoroughly enjoy this movie and appreciate Jackson's rendition of the esteemed book.

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